This invention relates to a child seat for use in automotive vehicles and, more particularly, to a seat cushion insert that is foldable into a lower position, where it is integrated with a passenger seat, and a raised position, where it is positioned above the passenger seat to support a small child.
Infants and small children require special seating devices when travelling in automotive vehicles. A variety of child seats are commercially available. Most such child seats are an accessory purchased separately from a vehicle.
More recently, it has become feasible and desirable to provide child seats that are integrated within the passenger seat of the vehicle. One such child seat is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,265,934, issued on Nov. 30, 1993. The child seat shown in the '934 patent is an example of a booster-type child seat. Booster-type child seats are useful for toddlers because they allow a conventional seatbelt to be used to maintain a toddler in a safe position on the vehicle seat.
Although a variety of such child seats are available, many are not commercially practical for various reasons. For example, such child seats include a relatively large number of complex components that are too cumbersome to conveniently fit within a typical passenger seat, especially in smaller vehicles. Others, while having relatively more simple components, may not prove reliable or are too inconvenient or difficult to use.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a child seat that is integrated within a passenger seat having conveniently stowable, yet reliable, components that is aesthetically pleasing and simple to use. This invention provides such an integrated child seat by providing a cushion insert that is movable between a lower position, where the insert is aligned with the seating surface, and a raised position where the cushion insert is positioned to support a small child. A convenient, single push button actuator is provided, which allows a user to manipulate the cushion insert between the raised and lower positions.